Journal-box.



No. 654,||6. Patented July I7, |900. G. W. LEWIS &. LE ROY C. GDWIN. JovunNAL Box.

(Application med sept. s, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Illm" ATnNT FFICE GEORGE W. LEWIS AND LE ROY C. GODVIN, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO CAMILLUS A. NASH, OF NORFOLK, VIR- GINIA.

JOURNAL-BOX.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,116, dated July 17, 1900. Application filed September 81 1899. Serial No, 729,838. @To model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. LEWIS and LE ROY C. GODWIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to axle or journal 1o boxes, and more especially to such boxes for' use in connection with railway-cars and the objects of the invention are, first, to provide for the more economical and efficient lubrication of the axle, and, second, to facilitate the removal and renewal of the bearings.

In our Patent No. 599,944, dated March 1, 1898, we have shown the floor of the box as made in the shape of an inverted V, the apex extending longitudinally of the box and the 2o rear or inner side walls of the box contracted or converged inwardly to compress the packing or waste around the axle-journal, and in our Patent No. 615,724, dated December 13, 1898, we have also shown a journal-box havz 5 ing its lioor made of the shape of an inverted V in order to improve the lubrication of the journal, and in the same patent we have described, but disclaimed as being no part of said invention, means for securing the key or 3o wedge and bearing in place and whereby the dismounting ofthe axle-journal from the box without a previous relative movement of any material amplitude of the journal and box is possible. ln the present invention we make the bottom proper of the box of the form of an inverted V in cross-section, with the apex running longitudinally of the box and coaxially with the journal and forming pockets between itself and the side walls to contain 4o the lubricant and the waste, and we construct the inner surface of the rear wall of the box on curved lines, so as to confine the lubricant within the box and prevent its waste through the openingin the rear wall of the box through which the axle-journal is inserted into the box, and, as in Patent No. 615,724, hereinbefore referred to, we make such opening almost circular in outline insteadof oblong, as

heretofore, leaving only sufficient play for the 5o wear of the bearing-piece or brass, which is five-eighths of an inch at top of hole. We also provide a transverse seat in the box in front of the wedge or key, in which is inserted a gib, secured in place by a Cotter-pin or other device, which may be readily removed to gain access to the wedge or key and brass or bearing for the removal of the same whenever necessary.

v Having thus stated the principle of our invention, we will proceed now to describe the 6o best mode in which we havecontemplated applying that principle and then will particularly point out and distinctly claim the part, improvement, or combination which we claim as our invention. ln the accompanying drawings, illustrat, ing our invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, y Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken inA the plane of the inside of the near side wall.t 7o Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section with the journal in elevation. Fig.- 3 is a horizontal section of the box, taken substantially in the plane of line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken sub- 75 stantially in the planeof line 4 4,Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows in'plan and sideA view thegib' for use in securingin place Land readily removing the wedge or key andthe bearing. Fig. 6 is a'perspeotive view of one form of 8o wedge or key that may be used in our invention.

We wish to be` understood at the outset that our invention is applicable to journalboxes of the Master Car-Builders standard.

The bottom a of the box is made in the form of an inverted V, with its apex parallel and coaxial with the journal b, and between the opposite inclines of this iioor and the side walls c of the box are pockets d'for contain- 9o ing oil or other lubricant and the usual waste. The front of the box is' curved upwardly, as at e, and has the inturned'lip e to prevent waste of the lubricant by splashing and to return any splashed lubricant back into the box. Similarly the rearwall has an inner upward curve, as shown at f,

on opposite sides of the floor and adjacent to the journal-opening g also to minimize the waste of lubricant by splashing, and it is de- Ico signed that the collar of the journal shall lit between these curved portions rather snugly. The rear Wall h of the box is made with the usual pocket 'L' for the reception of any approved form of dust-guard z", and its opening g for the insertion of the axle-journal is approximately circular, as indicated in Fig. 4, rather than oblong, as heretofore, in order to prevent as far as .possible the entrance of foreign matter into the box and the escape of lubricant, and thus to economize in-lubrication of the box.

k is a bearipg or brass of any approved construction, and Z is a wedge or key, also of any approved construction, and we use a.

box the top 'm of which is Without any lug to be engaged by the Wedge or key Z, and consequentlyuse a wedge or key which has a perfectly-dat top surface, as shown in Figs. 2 Aand 6. The brass la may have usual side lugs k 1o engage complemental side lugs n on the'side walls of the box.

In order to hold the wedge or key, and consequently the brass, in place, we employ a gib o, substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and provide openings p in the side Walls of the box for the insertion of said gib and also provide a seat r in the inside of the top of the box, in which the said gib is placed, and when the gib is so placed in front of the Wedge or key, as in Fig. 2, by insertion through the opening p in either of the side Walls its headed end o' locks against one side wall of the box, While its opposite projecting end is provided with a cotter-pin or other fastening device s, Fig. 4, at the other side of Y the box.

To remove the brass or bearing when the same is Worn, split, deformed, or otherwise imperfect, the cotter-pin is removed and the gib pulled out from outside the box, and

- then the wedge or key and the brass may be readily pulled out through the front opening in the box, and to facilitate such removal the said brass or wedge may be provided with a notch or other device t, by which it may be engaged. Of course when the Wedge or key is removed the bearing or brass is accessible, and no matter how badly deformed it may be it is possible to remove it in a very short time and Without resort to chisels or other tools or implements to cut it out, as has been heretofore necessary whenever the brass or bearing has been split or distorted. In eecting this removal of the key and brass it is necessary to jack up the box only enough to take off the weight, since the meeting surfaces of the key and box are without engaging lugs or eiects the lubrication of the journal with less than half the lubricant and waste heretofore necessary and greatly reduces the liability of hot boxes. In point of fact, We have found that our boxes may be packed efliciently with one-half of a pound of waste, as against two pounds formerly necessary, and with about four pints of oil, as against one gallon. The use of the gib for holding in place the Wedge or key, and consequently the brass, in connection with the ridged floor or bottom enables us to reduce the journalopening in the back of the box by fully an inch and also enables us to correspondingly reduce the front opening, and by these reductions We greatly reduce the liability of hot boxes, because the inlets for dust and dirt are thereby decreased in area.

It will be observed that by the use of the i gib for retaining the key or brass we are able to dispense with the lugs on the top of the box. Consequently the brass may be removed and applied without the necessity for jacking up the entire Weight of the car and load, and, in point of fact, we have found that the removal of a Worn-out brass may be elected in about three minutes, as against from fifteen minutes to one hour and over with the old constructions. Very often in the case of hot boxes or hot journals the brass will split in the center parallel with the journal and spread open laterally, so that it cannot be removed from the box without jacking up the car and using hammer and chisel to cut the brass, so that it may be made to clear the stationary lugs. This obviously means a serious loss of time in running trains. By the use of our gib all this loss of time and this labor are obviated.

Of course our invention is applicable to those boxes in which the wedge or key and the bearing or brass are an integer.

The floor, Walls, and rear curves may be and preferably are cast in one piece.

What We claim is- 1. A journal-box, having a lugless top, and also having its floor constructed with a longi tudinal ridge, the apex of which is longitudinally coaxial with the journal, and forming oil-pockets on both sides, and the rear wall of the box having a substantially-circular opening instead of the usual elliptical opening so as to raise the rear wall of the box a sufficient height to form with the front wall the ends of the said oil-pockets, combined with a bearing-piece fitted loosely to the said lugless top of the box above the journal, and a removable gib fitted transversely of the box in side openings therein and in a seat in the inner side of the top of the box, in front of the bearing-piece, and adapted to permit the ready removal of the latter, 'substantially as described. l

2. A journal-box, having its floor formed IOO IIO

as an inverted V With its apex coaxial with the journal, and its rear vWalls sloped upward rearwardly andlaterally to the axle-opening in the rear wall of the box, the said rear wall having a substantially-circu'lar opening for the axle and the front wall of the box extending above the apex of the door, the said door forming oil-pockets between its apex and the side, rear and front walls of the box, combined with a readily-removable bearing-piece, and a removable gib arranged transversely in the box in front of the said bearing-piece, substantially as described.

3. A journal-box, having its floor formed as an inverted V with its apex longitudinally coaxial with the journal, an inwardly-curved front wall, and a rear wall whose inner surface is curved upwardly from the floor to about midway of the axle-opening inthe box, substantially as described.

4. A journal-box, having its floor formed as an inverted V with its apex coaxial with the journal, and its rear walls slopedupward rearwardly and laterally to the axle-opening in the rear wall of the box, the said rear wall having a substantially-circular opening for the axle and the front wall of the box extending above the apex of the floor, the said floor forming oil-pockets between its apex and the side, rear and front walls of the box, substantially as described.

5. A journal-box, having a transverse gibseat in the inner face of its top, openings in the side walls alined with said seat, and a gib adapted to be inserted in the seat through either of the-side wall openings, with its leading end projecting through the opposite side opening to receive an outside retaining device, combined with a bearing medium which is removably retained in the box by said gib, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 2d day of August, A. D. 1899.

GEORGE W. LEWIS. LE ROY C. GODWIN.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. PAULsoN, CHAs. H. JOHNSTON. 

